The calendar has turned to October that means it’s time for tricks, treats and a few costumes. Last week when discussing the games with “the Joker” he loved the Raiders and I tried to warn him they were a dangerous play. I went through a number of teams including the Raiders and placed them in one of four categories; tricked us, don’t be tricked their good, don’t be tricked their bad and great costumes. I think most of our DYKS guys were tricked last week, at least “the Joker” was only fooled by the Raiders his other four picks were correct.
Tricked Us – Raiders and Bills
The Raiders were 2-1 with wins over the Ravens and Browns. The Ravens might actually be a decent team come end of the year and that will look like a real solid win. The Browns are not a good team and beating them is not anything special. They lost in week one BADLY to the Bengals. Their record was very deceiving going to Chicago as 3.5 point favorites and many jumped on the Raider bandwagon only to watch them lose straight up. The Raiders are still the Raiders but at least they are better than they have been the past decade.
The Bills were 2-1 with wins over the Colts and Dolphins. They lost what appeared to be a close game with the Patriots but really it was a garbage time comeback as the Patriots took the pedal off the gas to early and couldn’t get it going again. The Bills will actually have a decent record come years end with 9 or 10 wins but that will be thanks to their soft schedule.
Don’t be tricked their bad – Vikings, Jets, Panthers, AFC South
The Vikings are 2-2 at the moment and looked like a team on the rise but they have a tough, tough schedule the rest of the way. They better hope they have a home field advantage in their cold open air stadium because they have games against the Chiefs, Rams, Packers, Seahawks and Giants. They have three games on the road that are not going to be any easier than their home slate going to the Falcons, Cardinals and Packers. The only thing scarier than the schedule was how QB Teddy Bridgewater looked overwhelmed in the final moments at Denver with the game on the line. All those tough games on the schedule he best get used to those close games, then again they might not be that close and he might not need to worry trailing by three scores.
The Panthers are 4-0 and I am not buying any stock. They upgraded their defense with a trade but they need more on offense. They beat four weak sisters the Jaguars, Texans, Saints and Bucs. They have 7 more games on their schedule that are soft so 10 wins are a possibility. I am interested to see how they do in their home and home with the Falcons, home to the Packers and on the road versus the Seahawks, Cowboys and Giants. This is a team to avoid in those big games and if they qualify for the playoff’s.
The J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets! They are not that good. Three wins so far in the young season against teams that have looked absolutely awesome this season the Browns, Colts and Dolphins. They lost to a the Eagles and you can’t even consider them a competent team at the moment. They have a soft schedule but they still might end up with 10 losses.
The AFC South is awful and will be the division that has a playoff team qualify with an 8-8 record. That team will be the Colts because they have the best quarterback. I know Andrew Luck is out and might be out for awhile they still have the best quarterback with Matt Hasselbeck. The Colts will run the table in the division at 6-0 and then get just 1 or 2 victories in their remaining games in Miami and home to the Bucs.
Don’t be tricked their good – Giants, Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs, Rams
The Giants had a tough loss versus a full strength Cowboys team and then lost apparently the best team in the NFL south of Foxboro the Falcons. Okay, I might be sugar coating it a little they were awful, gut wrenching, pull your hair out losses because they should of won. They are now 2-2, the Cowboys have the injury plague, the Eagles are sputtering (not that bad actually their next) and the Skins are in their division so they have a pretty darn good shot at the division title. Throw in that their schedule is not that difficult and there is no 5-7 week stretch of death like the past couple seasons they will be a contender come playoff time.
The Eagles look pretty bad right now but take a closer look. They lost a close one to Atlanta and Sam Bradford looked awesome in the 2nd half of that game. They lost a division game to a motivated Dallas team looking to stick it to Demarco Murray. They beat a good defensive team in the Jets and lost division game on the road to the Skins that went down to the wire. The Eagles schedule is tougher than the Giants but 9-7 might win the division so they are definitely not out of it by any means.
The Ravens just got a gift win at Pittsburgh with the 4th down play call (run Levon Bell or even Mike Vick), the Steelers kicker is not good and no Rothlisberger. Their schedule is tough but the next 4 weeks they can get to 4-4 going into the halfway point and their bye with games against the Browns, at the Niners, at the Cardinals and home to the Chargers. The Bungles might be good but I can’t see them running away with the division and the Ravens keep it close things will get tight in Cincy.
Take a look at the Chiefs losses, Denver (ugly fumble should of won), at the Packers and at the Bengals. Their next four games are the Bears home, at the Vikings, the Steelers home and home for the Lions. A great chance of being 4-3 heading into the bye week and just need to hope the Broncos trip up a couple times over the next few weeks.
Steve Gonzales beloved St. Louis Rams, I mean Los Angeles Rams or is it St. Louis. Wherever they will be playing in the next few years is of no concern because this team will be making a run at the playoff’s. They are already 2-2 and have 6 cupcakes on the schedule with 5 of those at home; Browns, Niners, Bears, Lions, Bucs and at the Niners. That gives them 8 wins and then they have 2 toss up games that could go either way home against the Vikings and at the Ravens. They have 4 tough games at the Packers, at the Bungles, at the Seahawks and home to the Cardinals. The division title would mean the Rams need to win both toss ups and split the tough games and they are not capable of that. They win one toss up and one tough game they are at 10 wins with a good shot at the wild card.
Great Costumes – Patriots and Cardinals
The Patriots might run the table with their schedule. I see maybe three challenges on their schedule, at the Giants, at Denver and home to the Eagles. The rest of the schedule is absolute garbage. Their three wins are over the Steelers who can’t get out of their own way, the over hyped Bills and the Jaguars that have not been good since Tom Coughlin left. I am really liking my season over 10.5 win bet with the Patsies. I hope they survive the playoff’s for a rematch with the Giants!
The Cardinals look liked world beaters and I was drinking the kool-aid. They have wins over the Saints, Bears and Niners that all stink. I guess it is good that they beat these teams soundly because that is what good teams are supposed to do. The loss to the Rams might just be blip but they need to be able to punch it in the end zone and not get field goals every time they get on the other side of the fifty yard line. They have some tough games left that will show who they really are the rest of the season; at the Seahawks, Bungles home, at the Rams, at the Eagles, Packers home and Seahawks home.
Eli Manning threw his first interception of the year against the Bills. I blame that one on Rueben Randall though, he never went to the ball or fought for it on that slant route near the goal line. He looked like he didn’t want any part of that physical action just like when he was asked to field two onside kicks against the Skins. I really hope Victor Cruz is healthy for the stretch run or Odell Beckham is going to see a lot of coverage rolled in his direction.
The 72 Dolphins celebrated Monday night following the Lions versus Seahawks game thanks to Calvin Johnson getting stopped on the one yard line and fumbling. The last undefeated team in one of my fantasy league’s lost on that play and the former Dolphins celebrated. I heard the 72 Phins checked themselves in to the same treatment facility as CC for the Yanks.
Last week the top spot for picks went to Jonuts with a 3-0 record and the Joker that went 4-1. The Joker jumped up the standings and is now tied with Greenwell 39 for first place. The dynamic duo of Wayne Turner and Jim Cardin held steady for the guests with 2-2 week. A tough week for most of our DYKS guys as only Jonuts, the Joker and AK47 were above .500 for the week.
Our guest this week is former New England native Jay Fitts who now resides in North Carolina. He is still a loyal fan to the Cleveland Browns but we can’t figure out why. The good news is he is a Dodgers fan and he will have something to cheer for in October. Fittsy will do his best to try to pull the guests over the .500 mark on the season.
Enjoy Week 5!
If you missed week podcast click this link.
Week 5 Picks
| Do You Know Sports Guy | The Worm | AK47 | East Coast Bronco | MJ Madness | Greenwell 39 |
| Game 1 | Rams +10.5 | Saints +5.5 | Browns +7.5 | Rams +10.5 | Bengals -1.5 |
| Game 2 | Skins +9.5 | Packers -10.5 | Skins +9.5 | Browns +7.5 | Cardinals -3.5 |
| Game 3 | Seahawks +1.5 | Ravens -7.5 | Cardinals -3.5 | Seahawks +1.5 | Steelers +3.5 |
| Game 4 | Broncos -5.5 | Seahawks +1.5 | Chargers -2.5 | Bears +10.5 | Saints +5.5 |
| Game 5 | Steelers +3.5 | Cowboys +9.5 | Texans +3.5 | Jaguars +2.5 | Titans +3.5 |
| Do You Know Sports Guy | The Joker | Bear | Jonuts | Fittsy | |
| Game 1 | Bills -3.5 | Texans +3.5 | Texans +3.5 | Patriots -9.5 | |
| Game 2 | Cards -3.5 | Bears +10.5 | Bears +10.5 | Packers -10.5 | |
| Game 3 | Steelers +2.5 | Skins +9.5 | Lions +3.5 | Bucs -2.5 | |
| Game 4 | Patriots -9.5 | Saints +5.5 | Seahawks +1.5 | ||
| Game 5 | Giants -7.5 | Cowboys +9.5 |
jeffreybelanger 